Operator (The Matrix)

This article is about the duty of the Operator as seen in The Matrix Trilogy. For alternate meanings, see: Operator (disambiguation).

The Operator on a Zion hovercraft is the online guide and resource liaison for redpill crewmembers while they are jacked in (connected) to the Matrix, a virtual computer-generated world set in the end of the 20th Century. Each hovercraft has an Operator. The name of the job comes from a telephone operator, which allows the Operator to disguise himself from bluepills or Agents that accidentally call him (Operators invariably answer any call by saying "Operator").

Operators typically are natural-born humans who grew up in Zion, the last human city of the Earth destroyed by the Man/Machine war of hundreds of years past. While they cannot jack in the Matrix themselves, Operators are highly skilled programmers who can help crews anticipate danger and avoid unwanted contact. Many Operators wear gloves to keep their hands warm; the only Operators that do not wear gloves are AK and Jax. Operators also run the Construct, which is a locally originating virtual world where weapons and equipment can be loaded for a crewmember's avatar in the Matrix. The Construct can also be used for training as it can simulate elements of the Matrix itself.

Two-way communication is possible between an Operator and his jacked-in crewmates, in the form of telephone calls; redpills in the Matrix typically carry cell phones for this purpose. In addition, an Operator can download needed information directly into crewmates' brains for use within the Matrix, or make unauthorized changes ("hacks") to the environment in order to assist them. Before redpills can enter or leave the Matrix, the Operator must establish an access point, or "exit," which takes the form of a hardline telephone. Agents or law enforcement officers can disable an exit by disconnecting it from the telephone network (e.g., cutting the cord) or physically destroying the phone.

See also

• Simulated reality